1. Technology Field
The present invention relates to a firmware code loading method, and a memory controller and a memory storage apparatus using the method.
2. Description of Related Art
The growth of digital cameras, mobile phones, and MP3 players has been rapid in recent years. Consequently, the consumers' demand for storage media has increased tremendously. Rewritable non-volatile memory is one of the most adaptable memories for portable electronic products such as cellular phone, personal digital assistant and laptop computer due to its data non-volatility, low power consumption, small volume, non-mechanical structure and high read/write speed. For these reasons, flash memory has become an import part of the electronic industries.
Conventionally, a firmware code of a flash memory controller of a flash memory storage apparatus is stored in a programmable read only memory of the flash memory controller (which generally cannot be changed), and executed after being loaded into a static random access memory (SRAM) of the flash memory controller when the flash memory controller operates. However, based on increasingly growth in size, complicity and revision speed of the firmware code, it is required that the firmware code can be updated/modified accordingly. To reduce the size of the storage apparatus and have the firmware code updated/modified easily, in current technology, it has been designed to directly store the firmware code into the flash memory module of the memory storage apparatus, and the firmware code is loaded into the static random access memory (SRAM) of the flash memory controller when the flash memory controller is turned on. Accordingly, the size of the storage apparatus can be effectively reduced and its manufacturing costs may also be effectively lowered without additionally configuring the programmable read only memory.
However, reading the firmware code from the flash memory module may result in an extension of time required for initialization of the flash memory storage apparatus after being powered on. In particular, in an example when the flash memory storage apparatus is used as a major storage medium of an electronic device (e.g., a computer), a user tends to wish that time required for booting up the electron device is as short as possible. Therefore, a development for a faster firmware code loading method is needed.
Nothing herein should be construed as an admission of knowledge in the prior art of any portion of the present invention. Furthermore, citation or identification of any document in this application is not an admission that such document is available as prior art to the present invention, or that any reference forms a part of the common general knowledge in the art.